Belt and harness assembly

Abstract

An escape/ladder belt and harness assembly having an improved attachment arrangement and adjustment capabilities. The assembly features a waist belt having a coupling and fastener each featuring at least two slots separated by at least one bar. The fastener being connectable to the coupling to enable the waist belt to fasten around a user. The waist belt being removeably attached to an article worn by the user through a plurality of tabs. At least some of the tabs fastening the coupling and fastener to the article. The waist belt extending around the user and though a tension adjustment buckle so as to allow for waist tension to be set by pulling the free end of the waist belt in an intuitive forward motion that provides for improved tightening around the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A belt and harness assembly comprising:
 a waist belt having a first end and a second end, and an inside and outside surface; 
 a coupling affixed proximate to the first end of the waist belt, the coupling having at least two slots separated by at least one divider bar; 
 a waist tension adjustment buckle along the waist belt, the waist belt extending through the waste tension adjustment buckle; 
 a fastener affixed between the first and second ends of the waist belt, the fastener connected to the coupling, the fastener having at least two slots separated by at least one divider bar; and 
 an article having first and second mounting tabs affixed to a surface of the article, article and extending parallel to the waist belt, the first mounting tab connected around the at least one divider bar of the coupling, the second mounting tab connected around the at least one divider bar of the fastener, the first mounting tab affixing the coupling to the article, the second mounting tab affixing the fastener to the article. 
 
     
     
       2. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one leg strap affixed to and wrapping around the waist belt, the at least one leg strap extending from the waist belt around a leg of the user and through a leg tension adjustment buckle, the at least one leg strap having a free end that extends away from the leg tension adjustment buckle in an upward direction towards the waist belt. 
     
     
       3. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one attachment ring upon the waist belt, the waist belt extending through the at least one attachment ring, the at least one attachment ring slideable along the waist belt. 
     
     
       4. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a tether assembly affixed to the at least one attachment ring, the tether assembly having a connector device, a fastener suitable for affixing the tether assembly to the at least one attachment ring and a strap connecting the at least one attachment ring to the fastener. 
     
     
       5. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 1  wherein the article further comprises a coupling retaining tab having a first part and a second part, the coupling retaining tab extending over the coupling in a direction substantially perpendicular to the waist belt, the coupling retaining tab having a fastener securing the first part of the coupling retaining tab to the second part of the coupling retaining tab. 
     
     
       6. The a belt and harness assembly of  claim 1  wherein the article further comprises a fastener retaining tab having a first part and a second part, the fastener retaining tab extending over the fastener in a direction substantially perpendicular to the waist belt, the fastener retaining tab having a fastener securing the first part of the fastener retaining tab to the second part of the fastener retaining tab. 
     
     
       7. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 1  wherein the article further comprises at least one supplemental retaining tab having a first part and second part, the at least one supplemental retaining tab extending over the outside surface of the waist belt in a direction substantially perpendicular to the waist belt, the at least one supplemental retaining tab having a fastener securing the first part of the supplemental retaining tab to the second part of the supplemental retaining tab. 
     
     
       8. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 1  wherein the article is a garment worn by the user. 
     
     
       9. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 8  wherein the garment further comprises at least one aperture, the at least one leg strap extending from the waist belt through the aperture and underneath the article, the at least one leg strap looping around the user's leg underneath the article and passing through the leg tension adjustment buckle, the free end of the at least one leg strap extending outside the article through the at least one aperture. 
     
     
       10. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an extension belt having a first end and a second end, the first end of the extension belt secured about the divider bar of a first coupling, the waist belt secured to the first coupling by looping through a first slot of the first coupling; 
 a secondary coupling having at least two slots separated by a divider bar, the second end of the extension belt secured about the divider bar of the secondary coupling, the fastener being secured through a first slot of the secondary coupling; 
 at least one tether having a first end and a second end, the first end of the tether extending through a second slot of the first coupling, the second end of the tether extending through a second slot of the secondary coupling; 
 a connector device affixed to the tether between the tether's first and second ends. 
 
     
     
       11. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 10  wherein at least one tether is an A-Frame tether. 
     
     
       12. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 10  wherein at least one tether is a V-Frame tether. 
     
     
       13. A belt and harness assembly comprising:
 a waist belt having a first end and a second end, and an inside and outside surface; 
 a coupling affixed proximate the first end of the waist belt, the coupling having at least two slots separated by at least one divider bar, the first end of the waist belt looping through a first slot of the coupling, the first end of the waist belt secured to the inside surface of the waist belt; 
 a waist tension adjustment buckle along the waist belt, the waist belt extending through the waste tension adjustment buckle, a free end of the waist belt extending away from the waist tension adjustment buckle in a forward direction; 
 a fastener affixed between the first and second ends of the waist belt, the fastener connected to the coupling, the fastener having at least two slots separated by at least one divider bar; 
 at least one leg strap affixed to and wrapping around the waist belt, the at least one leg strap extending from the waist belt around a leg of the user and through a leg tension adjustment buckle, the at least one leg strap having a free end that extends away from the leg tension adjustment buckle in an upward direction towards the waist belt; and 
 a garment secured to the waist belt, the garment having first and second mounting tabs, tab extending parallel to the waist belt, the first mounting tab connected around the at least one divider bar of the coupling, the second mounting tab connected around the at least one divider bar of the fastener, the first mounting tab affixing the coupling to the garment, the second mounting tab affixing the fastener to the garment. 
 
     
     
       14. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 13  wherein the garment has at least one aperture, the at least one leg strap extending from the waist belt outside the garment through the aperture and underneath the garment, the at least one leg strap looping around the user's leg underneath the article and passing through the leg tension adjustment buckle, the free end of the at least one leg strap extending outside the article through the at least one aperture. 
     
     
       15. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one attachment ring upon the waist belt, the waist belt extending through the at least one attachment ring, the at least one attachment ring slideable along the waist belt. 
     
     
       16. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 13  wherein the garment further comprises a coupling retaining tab having a first part and a second part, the coupling retaining tab extending over the coupling in a direction substantially perpendicular to the waist belt, the coupling retaining tab having a fastener securing the first part of the coupling retaining tab to the second part of the coupling retaining tab. 
     
     
       17. The a belt and harness assembly of  claim 13  wherein the garment further comprises a fastener retaining tab having a first part and a second part, the fastener retaining tab extending over the fastener in a direction substantially perpendicular to the waist belt, the fastener retaining tab having a fastener securing the first part of the fastener retaining tab to the second part of the fastener retaining tab. 
     
     
       18. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 13  wherein the garment further comprises at least one supplemental retaining tab having a first part and second part, the at least one supplemental retaining tab extending over the outside surface of the waist belt in a direction substantially perpendicular to the waist belt, the at least one supplemental retaining tab having a fastener securing the first part of the supplemental retaining tab to the second part of the supplemental retaining tab. 
     
     
       19. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 13  further comprising:
 an extension belt having a first end and a second end, the first end of the extension belt secured about the divider bar of the coupling, the waist belt secured to the coupling by looping through a first slot of the coupling; 
 a secondary coupling, the secondary coupling having at least two slots separated by a divider bar, the second end of the extension belt secured about the divider bar of the secondary coupling, the fastener being secured through a first slot of the secondary coupling; 
 at least one tether having a first end and a second end, the first end of the tether extending through a second slot of the coupling, the second end of the tether extending through a second slot of the secondary coupling; and 
 a connector device affixed to the tether between the tether's first and second ends. 
 
     
     
       20. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 19  wherein the at least one tether is an A-Frame tether. 
     
     
       21. The belt and harness assembly of  claim 19  wherein the at least one tether is a V-Frame tether.